Many modern handheld communications devices, such as e-mail pagers, wireless telephones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) are configured with security software which is designed to prevent all but the authorized user from using the communications device. Typically, the security software requires the user to enter a password via the keypad or keyboard of the device. The security software only grants the user access to the device if the entered password matches a reference password which the user previously saved on the device.
This scheme does not provide a high level of security, particularly if the user configured the device with a password that can be easily guessed. The handheld communications device described by the Applicant in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/819,278 overcomes this deficiency by associating a portable authenticator reader with the device. The security software only grants the user access to the device if the entered password matches a reference password that is installed on the portable authenticator and the handheld communications device. As a result, an unscrupulous user must have both the portable authenticator and the reference password to access the device.